Information about the
Leadership in the
Community Programme

Leadership in the Community Mission Statement

The LinC Course aims to provide training resources for individuals who are working, or wanting to work, in a community or with community groups, to enable them to become active leaders and initiators of change.

What is Leadership in the Community?

• LinC was developed in recognition of the many young people that Mobex, and other youth and community organizations, work with on a daily basis that show the potential and enthusiasm to work with others in their own communities.
• LinC is unique in its approach. It goes beyond more traditional youth work and leadership training courses; no others are aimed on such a practical level at these disadvantaged individuals through group work. Course participants do not need high literacy of numeracy standards to successfully complete the course. LinC is a personal and social development course.
• LinC enables people to deliver low cost, low resource, fun activities to groups without the need for expensive qualifications, equipment or licensing.
• LinC provides individuals with a stepping stone from participating in a group, to broader involvement and eventual leadership in their own communities.
• LinC can help individuals to become more integrated into their community, and can help individuals to establish new and sustainable relationships in their community.
• LinC equips people with the confidence and skills to move into more formal training or further education, and active community involvement. In many cases this is an individuals first return to training or education since leaving school.
• LinC is a nationally recognised course; accredited by the Open College Network.
• LinC benefits both the individuals who participate in the course and the wider communities, of which they become more active members.

Who is LinC aimed at?

• People who are already involved with as a participant in a youth or community organisation.
• People that are ready to take a supported step into volunteering and leadership but need a little extra support or encouragement.
• People that want to explore their community and their role within it, beyond their own first hand experience as a group member.
• The majority of participants have been aged between 18 and 25, although a greater number of people over the age of 25 are now accessing the course.

How is it delivered?

• The Level II course is delivered over 40 days and is worth 33 credits. The Level I course is delivered over 5 days at a more introductory level and is worth 3 credits. LinC is delivered through a variety of part-time options, which can include residential elements.
• The structure of the Level II syllabus over six units allows for flexibility; learners can be awarded units that they have completed if they are unable to complete the entire course. Learners can sometimes return to complete units at a later date.
• The course is not only a structured qualification, but also a tool for ongoing personal and social development.
• The main medium of learning is experiential. An experienced tutor sensitively enables participants, mainly through group work, to gain a greater understanding of their potential and how to release it in a community leadership role.

The LinC Programme

The LinC course aims to give people the skills and confidence they need to work with groups, or to make things happen in their community.

The Level II programme is most often run over 18 weeks, for two days a week, with a 5 day group residential taking place in the 2nd week. The programme also has a Final Group project that will take place over the minimum of one night. This involves working with another group.

The Level II course covers the following units:

a)		Core Skills for developing leadership		(60 hours)
b)		Activities Toolbag		(60 hours)
c)		Community Awareness		(60 hours)
d)		Developing Leadership		(60 hours)
e)		Final Group Project		(60 hours)
f)		Leadership in Action		(30 hours)

The Level I programme is run over 5 days, most often 1 day per week over 5 consecutive weeks, but it can be delivered in as flexible a timescale as required. This course is primarily an introduction to the Level II course but it can be undertaken as a stand-alone course.

The Level I course covers the following units:

a)		Core Skills for developing leadership		(10 hours)
b)		Activities Toolbag		(10 hours)
c)		Community Awareness		(10 hours)

Comments from past LinC course members

"An eye-opening, inspirational form of learning, which has set me up for the future."

"Gave me a better understanding of self belief, confidence and motivation."

"Gave me an awareness of what I could achieve."

" Gave me the confidence and skills to develop further into my current role as project leader."

For more information about Open College Network accreditation please visit: www.nocn.org.uk